Tank gauge



sept.12,195o C. FANSHIERl 2,522,258

TANK GAUGE Filed Jn. 51, 1947 2 sheets-sheet 1 Spt. l2, 1950 c. FANsHlER 2,522,258

, TANK GAUGE- Filed Jan. 51,, 1947 2 sheets-sheet 2 ETT fil; l'

Patented Sept. 12, 1950 UNI TED I k "f'ZSf' f f l t orda.. 1 Y y 'l Y Y Appieatiopragiuary. '31, 1947,*sneria1 '125g-'52 i1 5,-e1aimav- (o1. calf-29.8)-

lqified vpetroleulm gases .torlithe .lifke and, moreV particularly fto. a'v tank .gauge vtoghe j'sedfito dei-'1 termine lthe. quantity of li'quiied ..gretrolcum'.rgas or .the like .in .la .tank fearing .ai niiingsoperatiort.. -Y Prior to. .the present invention'. 3 Wasi no.` tarikvgiaugefonthe. market Wthfarli automatici closing eature.. `When the.' tanklgaug.. wasf openedt remained open until. it .wasiciosedeposi; timely.A frhis .meant that'fwh'enfsomeone ifma'c'cuay tomed to .the :hazards oi-.iiqluiiied ipetroieum'gae'es. shoulattempt ttozu'se fthe. gauge. while smoking orrzarryng. adantern, ythea 'streamfoi gasfor liquid' might .catch ...iire.,. andotheore vuauidcoritirmea burning ibecause..,of...the: idi'iiculty'lii'.'closmgl: the

.value while .the-.reswas fin .progresse Withthe. automatic closing '.featurie, .if.. azure io'ccums.' Whiiiea thegauge is openand theloperator isffor'ced away' from the gauge the va1ve-would1o1osef1 autoe maticaliyandehut othez'ne.; flhis'wiilzmeduoe-g tions. t. A `It is an `vobject of .thenim/ention, amongi'othere; to. provide 'a tank; .gauge thatwli git/e.-anfiricti'c'a.v ti'on toi .the amount.of.;avo1ati1e liqiii'diir'x ualiatar'ik.l with the said tank -.fgauge:automatically; closing.' when .an operator flea-Ves Ythegauge.; faltanlejgauge. that reduces `the-fire 4hazardtolalririimnn.cmxiitgf iiiii'ng .operations fouliquiedhydrocarbon .gases intoiqa tank; a tank gauge thatossirnpieliand economical in constructiontand ,durableahd 116mg; lasting fin-operation; `:a tank .gauge that is simple'. for an 1 operator to :operate:l and al .tank gauge easyto .Vi-nsta1'1.. l Y l y In carrying out the objects of the irix'feantiein there isprovided a tank-.gauge whichliafs a'ftting attached to@J tank .in sanY.su-itab1e.manner, fashy. screw threads- .as .shown. iri .the-,present .instance and the ittihg may be .internally screw,V-.threaded at thetop. endfthereo'f.' A gauge. rod .passes through the fitting and into the'tak and .'is); reciprocai in the' fitting.' 'SeaIng `f 'meansf" are' mounted 'irl the fitting With'the Agaiz'g'erod ectenjd; ing' through the sealing means Lin'such' `a man: ner so that fa Vseal ismaint'aine fat:ail"thhesy e; tweenfthe 'fitting and gauge 'roi as the gauge rod' isfrec'iprocated withiritheiitting. 'Thefgauge roiii has 1a; valve as'sotz'ited "Withf theftp 'thereof witfi said .Valve being 'til'ted'by forcef'to open .the TfVaJ'VezE and .closing Aautomatiealiyiiiwh'env 'the foreeiisle'- moved ir'omrthe valve. .The valver'closes otffilwi trom thertankA through fthel gauge -rodtofftheexe' terior -offtheftankoandfhaswmeans within the"Vv Yala-Veto Aautomaticailytleturn .the valvetosclosed.

. :This .invention .reiats to a.-.tankrgaugei-.ror: gaugearod .wnenatheffforce .1s removed-fromme valve. The'fvalvef at the top Lof' the gauge rodemay' fconsist "of :a cap u'hemberV surroundingthef topof the jgaugeprod withia .valveafiairge 'Within' Alzsvpring iis 'za1so;. inc'ludedrfwithin the "capi .member t'o .force the; vaflxzearrge 'against ,the ledge .for ,into :closed pio-i stion within fthe; icap member .to close. fof .t'owiromfthertan through. 1thegauge rod. The cap: member isi-tiltedgby:ioroe'to unse'eitthe Vaiivel tiarrgearom'the ietige to lopen. :the tank zthrough'. thefggaugeirfod tothe exteriorxitzthetarrk. The spring within theioapimemoer forceslfthe valves irangeaiiito seatedxpositionffon the led'geitooclee th'eatankfiinterior and' :gaugef rod .to the'. tariiteeze.,A terior when theitiitiigffforc'e .isi'remoued from the cap zmember. .The-:cap: membervis ratt'aohedftoz the; tting.; .1a.s. by; the y cap vmember` being.; err-` temalily. :screw threaded :Landzfscrewng Ainto .the internal. Athreads. on the :tting rnember. When theazoapmember eis fattachedfto fthe "ttrigy the" sooiated 'with fthe A.ttjirig and .gauge rod to holdk thegiigauge irod'rin anw-predetermined. positiori'airrV the ttingfand thereemay..-be .Jfmeansassociatect' Withthe cap-,member andgauge rod to -hololith cap-,member in .tilltedepositionffor Yinffotizuer words remove they. au-tomatic fea-ture. from the rsi-truce kWith; ithe foregoing and aother, foioe'cts `.im 'uiewgy thefiinvention :.willfbe. m-oreviulfly.,teleserieeciolfiereinafter and will be particularly giointedziiout theifvclaims appended Yhereto.

position .with .relation rtoe-the.,tafnk j.interior. ;a ridf 1551iv flh. the .drawings virlrrereir'i` .Al-ikenisymbois refer/- todi-ke :or- -corifespondinggmarts throughout fthe;

severaivews: l ,t Eigurei 1 is fa @part :elevational vxv'i'ew :of .ya itankf with amart-'olf.;t'1a1`e '.tankein. :section toX yshow "the: tank gaugecwithmytrretank: irri-elevation t .i .,Egure 22,-is atsehematc mewfof the tank gauge inf autarikwith theybottomffporftion abovefthef, llquidiflerelf Figure 3 is a schematic view of a tank gauge in a tank with the tank gauge end at the liquid level in the tank.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4 4 of Figure 1.

Figure is a sectional View of the tank gauge showing the cap member tilted to open the tank interior to the tank exterior through the gauge rod; a clamping meansrto hold the gauge rod at a predetermined position withinthe fitting; and a means to hold the cap member in tilted position.

Figure 6 is an elevational view of the means to hold the cap member in tilted position. K A

Figure '7 is an elevational view of the clamping member to hold the gauge rod in a predetermined position in the fitting.

4 packing I 8 makes a seal between the fitting 6 and the cap member I6 when these two members are secured together. The gauge rod l0 is expanded at the top thereof as shown at 20 to iprovide a shoulder. Surrounding the gauge rod I0 and between the shoulder 20 and the top of screw threads 2| on the gauge rod Il] is a valve flange 22. The cap member IE presents a ledge 23 and the valve flange 22 has a seal member 24, which'rfnay` be the same, O-rin'g 'as disclosed at II andIZ'and I8, which Oring24 is held in a groove 25 in the valve flange 22 by having a por- In Figure l, a tank for storage of liquifled l petroleum gas is represented at I and a tank gauge at 2 in an inoperative position. Figure 2- shows schematically the tank gauge in operative position and extended above the tank I. The lower end of the tank gaugeis above the liquid level 3 inthe tank I, hence when the tank gauge 2 is opened gas will be discharged giving the operator an indication thatl .the bottom of the' tank gauge is above the liquid level. Thegauge 2 is moved downwardly slowly until liquid appears from the top of the gauge 2 which gives the operator an indication the lower end of the gauge is in liquid. The amount of the gauge 2 extending above the tank I is then measured and from previous calibrations, the amount of liquid in the tank may be determined.Y

The tank I has an enlarged and reinforced opening 4 screw -threaded at 5 which screw threaded opening receives a fitting 6. The fitting member 6 is externally screw threaded at 'I on the lower end thereof to attach into the tank I. The fitting 6 is internally screw threaded at 8 on the upper end thereof. On the lower end of vthe fitting 6, internally of the screw threads 1 is a counterbore 9 into which a packing assembly is placed to seal the` tting with relation tof'a gauge rod I8 reciprocal in the fitting 6. The packing consists of two O-rings II and I2 made of synthetic rubber unaffected by the liquids which are to be handled, placed in the counterbore 9 with a spacer I3, which may be of brass, between the two O-rings II and I2 which spacer formsfa groove for each ring II and I2. Tests made indicate that the O-rings II and I2 will give long trouble free service when run without lubrication and the packing may be termed a lifetime packing that will not need replacing. A

throughout the normal life of the gauge. slight'travel of the O-rings II andI2 endwise in the grooves is allowed. This permits the O-rings I I and I2 to have a slight rolling action in the groove when the gauge rod IIlis moved upwardly or downwardly in the tting 6. A packing retainer I4 is included at the lower end ofthe counterbore 9 and the end I5 of the fitting 6 is rolled over to hold thel packing assembled in the counterbore 9. i

The gauge rod I0 has Amounted on the upper end thereof a cap member` I6 which cap member I6 has its lower end externally screw threaded at I1. The cap member is screwed into the internal screw threads 8 of fitting 6 to holdthe tank gauge 2 in an inoperative position with the bottom end of gauge rod extending into the bottom of the tank. A packing member I8, the same as packing members' II and -I2,'is mounted infi the opening I9 in the cap member 6 and saidthe exterior of -tank I.

tion of the valve flange crimped into the 0-ring '24.` The O-ring packing 24 seats on the ledge 23 to make a seal between the cap member I6 and Nameplate 26 closes the top gif-cap member I6. Between nameplate 2E and the valve flange 22 is a coil spring 2'I which exerts its pressure to keep the valve flange 22 seated on the ledge 23. The nameplate 26 is assembled by wiping a synthetic liquid sealer in the socket or tounterbore in cap member I6 that receives 4nameplate 26, forcing the nameplate 26 in place against-the bottom of -the counterbore in cap member I 6 and against the action of spring 27 and then forcing adieoverA the end of cap member I6 to crimp the end inwardly to provide avholding means for the nameplate 2B in the cap member I6. After this, cap member IE is placed in a rotating machine'and the rim of the capi. rolled tightly against nameplate 26.

A safety nut 28 is loose-fitted on screw threads 2| on the top of gauge rod Ill. and said safety nut 28 can easily be screwed by the fingers against the cap member` I6. After gauging is completed, safetyinut 28 is screwed upwardly into4 engagement with: the bottom of cap member I5. This isdone to prevent opening of the valve flange 22 by a straight downward pressure on the cap memberIB when lowering the gauge into engagement with fitting 6; Figure 4 shows the position o-f safety nut 28 when the gauge is in inoperative position. vThe safety nut 28 is screwed up on screw threads-2| against the bottom of the screw threaded section I'I of cap member I6. This pulls the'gauge" rod I0 downwardly and will not allow the cap member I6 to tip and thus inadvertently opening the 'tank interior to the tank exterior. When a gauging is to be made, the cap member I6 is unscrewed fromtting 6 and the gauge rod.- I0 properly adjusted in fitting 6, after which safety nut .2`8 is backed awayfrom the screw threaded end Il of cap member' I6 and the cap member I6 can be tilted as clearly shown in Figure 5.

A small pin 29 isplaced the side of valve flange 22, which pin loosely engages a hole 30 drilled fin the cap member I6 to serve as a key to yprevent turning of the cap member I6 with relationto valve flange 22 and consequently in relation to gauge rod I0 and safety nut 28. If the pin 29 is not included, it has been found that when the cap member I6 is screwed into the tting 6, the rotation of the cap member I6 with relation to the gauge rod Ill, loosened the safety nut 28 enough to permit the cap member I6 to be-pulled downwardly with relation to gauge rod IU, by the action of the` thread I1, so that valve flange 22 is `disengaged from `ledge 23 sufciently toallow a small amount of liquid to escape, up past the threadL Il and gasket 24. The temperature drop from the volatilization of this' escapingliqid is suflicient tov freeze the lingers 1; cap memberforcing the valve flange into seated position with the cap member -to close the open# ing between the cap member and gauge rod when the force is removed from the cap member.

2. In a tank gauge having a fitting attached tothe top of a tank, a gauge rod passing throughy the fitting in sealed relation and into the tank, said gauge rod having a valve ange surrounding the upper end thereof in sealed relation with the gauge rod, the improvement comprising a cap member surrounding the top of the gauge rod with the valve flange within the cap member and seating within the cap member to form a closure between the gauge rod and cap member, a spring within the cap member to force the valve flange into seated position in the cap member to close H ow from the tank through the gauge rod, said cap member being tiltable by force to unseat the valve iiange from the cap member to provide an opening between the cap member and tank gauge to open the tank through the gauge rod to the exterior of the tank and said cap member attached to the fitting when in inoperable position so that the cap member cannot be tilted.

3. In a tank gauge having a fitting attached to the top of a tank, a gauge rod passing through the tting in sealed relation and into the tank, said gauge rod having a valve flange surrounding the upper end thereof in sealed relation with the gauge rod, the improvement comprising a cap member surrounding the top of the gauge rod with the valve flange within the cap member and seating within the cap member to form a closure between the gauge rod and cap member, a spring within the cap member to force the valve flange into seated position in the cap member to close oi iiow from the tank through the gauge rod, said cap member being tiltable by force to unseat the valve flange from the cap member to provide an opening between the cap member and tank gauge to open the tank through the gauge rod to the exterior of the tank and said cap member being externally screw threaded to screw into internal screw threads on the fitting to render the cap member inoperable.

4. In a tank gauge having a fitting attached to the top of a tank, said fitting being internally screw threaded at the top end thereof, a gauge rod passing through the fitting into the tank in sealed relation and reciprocal in the fitting, said gauge rod having a valve flange surrounding the upper end thereof in sealed relation with the gauge rod, the improvement comprising a cap member surrounding the top of the gauge rod with the valve ilange seated within the cap member on a ledge in the cap member to forma closure between the gauge rod and cap member, sealing means between the valve flange and the ledge, a spring within the cap member to force the Valve flange into seated position on the ledge to close off now from the tank through the gauge rod, said cap member being externally screw threaded to screw into the internal threads on 8 top'ofthe fitting to'h'old-the fitting and cap-mem# ber together to render the cap member inoperv able; af'sealing means between the cap 'member and'fiitting' to seal the members when screwedY together, said cap member when unscrewed beingv tiltablfe'fby force to unseat the valve flange 'from the-ledge in the cap member to provide an openin'gbetwe'en the cap member and tank gauge'to` open'the tank through the gauge rod tothe exe terior= of thetank, said spring within the cap member forcing the valve flange into seated 'posii tion withthe ledge inthe cap member to close' the" opening between the cap member and gauge rod when the forcevis removed from the cap member.'`

f- 5.-'In a tank gauge *having a fitting attached tothe -top ofa tank,l said fitting being internally screw-threaded -at they top end thereof, a gauge rod passing through the fitting into the tank in sealed vrelation and reciprocal in the fitting, said gauge rod having a valve flange surrounding theA upper end thereof in sealed relation with the' gaugerod, the improvement comprising acap member surroundi'ng'the top of the gauge rod with the valve flange seated within the cap mem'- ber on aledge inthe cap member to form a closurebe'tween'the gauge rod and cap member, a pin associated# with the valve flange fitting intov anv opening in the 'cap'memben sealing means between the valve flange and the ledge, a; spring within the cap member to force the valve flange into seated position on the ledge to close oi flow from the tank through the gauge rod, said cap member being externally screw threaded to screw into the internal threads on top of the tting to hold the fitting and cap member together to ren-- der the cap member inoperable, a sealing means between the cap member' and fitting to seal the members when screwed together, said cap member when unscrewed being tiltable by force to unseat the valve'iiange from the ledge in the cap member to provide an opening between the cap member and tank gauge to open the tank through the gauge rod to the exterior of the tank, said spring within the cap member forcing the valve flange into seated position with the ledge in the cap member to close the opening between the cap member :and gauge rod when the force is removed from the cap member.

CHESTER FANSHIER.

REFERENCE S CITED :The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

a v UNITED STATES PATENTS Number 

